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A
report published by the National Office of Statistics and
Information (ONEI) indicated this Tuesday that 419,000 visitors
have arrived in Cuba so far in 2026, compared to 1.1 million
during the same period in 2025.
The ONEI report quantifies the notable absence of tourists on
the island’s streets, with hotels, hostels, and private
accommodations closed, as well as beaches, shops, and
attractions with few international visitors.
U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a radical energy embargo on
the island in January, pressuring for a change in its political
and economic model. This exacerbated a preexisting crisis caused
by other U.S. sanctions and a failed internal financial reform
that triggered inflation.
Between May and July, the U.S. State Department announced
sanctions against the heart of this industry on the island, with
measures ranging from freezing accounts to being barred from
operating in the U.S. financial system.
Chains such as Meliá and Iberostar — two long-standing partners
of the island since the 1990s — and Royalton then suspended all
their contracts in the Caribbean nation. Visa and Mastercard
payment gateways were also withdrawn. Major airlines such as
World2Fly, Air France, Turkish Airlines, and Iberia had already
suspended their flights after the government said planes could
no longer refuel on the island.
Cuba received approximately 4.3 million tourists in 2019, and
over the past 30 years, the travel industry had become an
economic engine. Authorities acknowledged that revenues reached
$3 billion annually.
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